Memorial Box Monday~Ava's School

Memorial Box Monday--or Wednesday =)

I've been wanting to write something for Memorial Box Monday for a long time now.  Monday's seem to sneak up on me, but I feel like it's time to finally take a moment and tell a story of how God has worked in our lives.  (For more info on Memorial Box Monday, visit Linny's page at http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-about-memorial-box-mondays-aka-we.html, she's the one who started this great idea!)

Lets go back a couple years.  We had moved from the house we own, to the house that I grew up in to rent from my parents, so that we could be closer to our work.  I absolutely love this house and Dusty and I would love to buy this house once ours is sold.  The only thing about this house is the school district that comes with it...it's not so good.  When we first moved here in the summer of 2008 I was able to get a special assignment for Ty to start 3rd grade in a great public school that is only blocks away from my work.  That was an answered prayer all on its own.  Ava was still in preschool at this time and I found a preschool literally right behind my work, so it worked out perfectly.  More answered prayers...but that is not the story I'm telling here...

The plan all along was to get Ava into Ty's school for kindergarten so that they would be in the same place.  Not to mention, Ty did great in 3rd grade there and we were completely happy with the school.

There are 3 application periods in order to try and get your child placed where you want-- out of your district.  Starting in January 2009, I filled out the first application to try and get Ava to Ty's school.  I was on it!!  No procrastinating here!  A month or so down the road....the answer was NO.  She wasn't accepted.

Then the next application period...with another NO for an answer.  I was starting to get a little nervous, like, what IF she doesn't get in at all???   And YES there was a place on the application asking if a sibling went to the school already, but that didn't seem to help.  They say that it's a lottery system.  I kept praying.

Third application time came and now we are closer and closer to the school year starting.  We waited again for an answer.  With much prayer...the answer was still NO. 

I called the special assignment line and asked what else can I do???  She said, they may be able to fit her in another school around the area, or you can go to the "Choice Options" board and appeal it. (choice is what they call it now instead of special assignment). 

I was like, OK, let's do it.  I set up a date and time to go.  I remember waiting a long time in a hallway, watching others go into the room.  I analyzed all of their faces when they came out.  Some seemed happy, some sad, and others I couldn't read at all. 

Finally it was my turn.  I was praying all along, Lord, if this isn't in your will, help me to have peace about it and to accept it.  I was telling myself...DON'T CRY!!  lol...

I went in there and gave my reasons why I wanted her there...her brother already goes there, it's close to my work and in order for me to take them and pick them up, and still work enough hours I need the pick up to be at the same time...otherwise I may not get to one of the kids in time every.single.day.

Are you ready? 







The answer was NO.  The kindergarten classes were simply full.







Now, you're probably wondering...where is this going?  Where's the remembering what God did for you part?




Here it comes...



From there I totally accepted it and moved on quickly as now it's summer.  The school in our area was just not a choice...so I started taking tours at private Chirstian schools in the area.  WOW!!  I was sooooo discouraged realizing we were talking about thousands and thousands of dollars for ONE year!!!!

One day, my "mom" Sharon, asked me, "Have you checked into the little church/school by the house that you went to preschool at?"  Nope, I sure haven't...so I walked in and sat down and talked to them. 


Here's the God part...


The tuition, plus a little bit of after school care that I needed, would cost EXACTLY the same amount that Ava's preschool cost!!  This was money that we had in the budget available to use!!!!


Yay God!!!!  THANK YOU!!!  Here was our answer...Ava was not meant to go to Ty's school for whatever reason and He had a place for her right there a block away from our house!!  (where her mommy went to preschool!) 

This year has been so precious not only watching her learn more and more and start to read, etc, but....

 the songs she comes home singing....the stories of Jesus she completely understands and can repeat,....the prayers that she prays.  My heart just smiles when I hear her pray, "thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins".

By Ava going to this school it has completely changed my thoughts of what I want for my children.  I never thought much about my children going to a private school, but now I'm looking into Christian schools, to see what's next...maybe for Ty???

Anyway, as I write this it's a great reminder to myself and what we are going through now that God's timing is not always our own.  To keep praying and God really IS faithful and things will work out according to His will.  I never would've imagined that Ava would be in a private Christian school, and there may be more things in our future I can't even imagine.


And just to let you know...the dropping off and picking up works perfectly with my schedule...I just drop Ava off first then Ty, then go to work....then get Ty and get Ava and GO HOME!!  =)

Not sure what I'll put in our memorial box (or shelf) to remind us, but I'll think of something!

Also, if you read my last post, I mentioned that we re-evaluated our budget.  We are trying to be smart with our money and considered trying again to get Ava into Ty's school for next year so that we could use the money that goes toward her school to pay things off.  Dusty and I felt that she belongs at the school that she's at but thought it doesn't hurt to at least fill out the application and then decide. 

So YESTERDAY, I said a quick prayer, Lord, we are trying to use the money that you've entrusted us with to do the things that you want us to do and if she's meant to be there or not, let it be very clear to us.  I printed the application...filled out the first page...flipped the page...got to the page where you pick the school...AND.........Ty's school WASN'T EVEN ON THE LIST!!  I called to confirm what I was seeing and the women said, "no, that school isn't on the "choice options" list for this application or the last one."  I set the phone down and was like, "Thank you God, there's my answer."  Once again, it's confrimed to me that she IS where she needs to be.